Did you know that we offer teachers at the lead level as well? This program, while perhaps one of our lesser-known offerings, has been around for over a decade. Those who do know about it love it — and the results they’ve gotten.
Our lead teachers earned their positions through longstanding records of high performance within the school. They have proven themselves with great results, true engagement and high-performing students. (Students of these teachers have gone on to attend prestigious music schools, become professional musicians, and even appear on national television.) We are proud to share our current roster of lead teachers:
Lead Teachers
Tiffany - voice, piano
Long before earning her Master of Music degree, or becoming an award winning vocalist, Tiffany was a toddler in love with music (specifically, the Wizard of Oz). She didn't wait long to dig into her passion – by elementary school she was performing in several choirs, taking piano lessons, and learning the double bass with her school orchestra. She was even able to consider herself a touring musician through her work in the elite professional children's choir, Kinderchor at Otterbein. Throughout high school, Tiffany continued to enjoy playing piano and participating in vocal and instrumental ensembles. She also used music as a way to give back, spending her summers as a volunteer performer at the local nursing home. For her higher education, Tiffany headed to Ohio University where she received her Bachelor of Music Degree and earned several scholarships for music and voice. She was also awarded the honor of performing the National Anthem for her graduation ceremony. Her musical education did not end there; Tiffany headed to Texas Tech University to receive her Master of Music degree, once again earning several scholarships for her music and vocal talents. During her undergraduate and graduate studies, she also built her teaching skills by taking pedagogy classes, completing a Teaching Assistantship and being a rehearsal leader. Tiffany continued performing through college and beyond, garnering key roles in several regional theater productions. When not performing or teaching, Tiffany loves spending time in nature and making her own soaps. Tiffany teaches piano and voice for the school.
Zephyr - piano, saxophone, composition
Zephyr considers himself a "lifelong student of music" who began with piano at just four years old. At seven, he announced his intention to play the saxophone, which he promptly began pursuing and continued to study through college. Zephyr has performed throughout the region on both instruments, primarily with the Nakomi band – a traditional African and Highlife ensemble he co-founded in his teens in Upstate New York. He studied music seriously, attending the prestigious Summer Five Week Program at Boston's Berklee College of Music, as well as both the Skidmore and Proctors Summer Jazz Institutes. For his higher education, Zephyr graduated from Temple University with a degree in Jazz Alto Saxophone Performance. While there, he had the unique privilege to study piano and sax for all four years with some of the best musicians in their field. In 2016, Zephyr studied abroad at The Conservatorium van Amsterdam in the Netherlands where he "learned to speak beginning level Dutch, made friends from around the globe, and soaked up the culture." He is passionate about music composition and interested in a wide variety of musical genres, including jazz, classical, funk and soul. While Zephyr spends a large portion of his time on music, he also loves to cook gourmet meals, travel, and plan his next adventure in the streets of Philadelphia. He teaches piano, saxophone and composition for the school.
Emily - piano, songwriting
Emily received her Bachelor of Music Degree from Yale University, her Masters in Composition from USC, and a post-grad Diploma in Composition from the Curtis Institute of Music. Music has been a lifelong passion for Emily: she began piano as a young child, and added trumpet studies, vocal ensembles and guitar along the way. She discovered her love for composing early as well, after writing a short opera (starring a field mouse) in the third grade, and she has been creating music ever since. Her musical abilities landed her a spot at Interlochen Arts Academy, an exclusive summer arts program that boasts notable alumni like Josh Groban and Norah Jones. From here, Emily headed to Yale University, where she received the Louis Sudler Prize for most outstanding graduate and graduated Cum Laude. Next, Emily received a full scholarship and teaching assistantship to University of Southern California, where she earned her masters degree and received the Outstanding Graduate in Composition Award. Emily boasts a range of teaching experience: she taught in the theory department at USC, at Curtis Summerfest, and with those in need through Project HOME. She has had original works played by several of the nations top orchestras, but her musical experiences extend beyond composition – she also plays guitar and sings, and performed internationally with her college a cappella group. When not studying and making music, Emily fosters dogs. She teaches piano and songwriting for the school.
Carolann – violin, guitar, ukulele, piano, voice
Carolann is no stranger to strings – whether they’re guitar strings, ukulele strings, violin strings, piano strings, cello strings or even double bass strings. (And, actually, do vocal cords count too?) Carolann’s first instrument was the guitar, which she received as a gift in elementary school, but it wasn’t long before she was also participating in the school choir, taking voice lessons, studying viola, and playing in the school orchestra and jazz band. When it was time for college, she attended Susquehanna University and majored in Music with a Music Technology minor. There, Carolann participated in the string pedagogy program, teaching weekly seminars in addition to being paired with private students. All the while, Carolann continued to study viola, hone her guitar, piano and vocal skills, and teach group music classes. Her educational experience doesn’t end there; she received her Masters of Multicultural Education degree from Eastern University, was trained in The New Teacher Project's (TNTP) Teaching Fellows Program, and has taught in various school programs. In addition to her work with our school, she is a full time music teacher and orchestra director in Philadelphia. Carolann brings her musical and educational knowledge to the Meridee Winters School of Music as a teacher on violin, guitar, viola, piano and ukulele.
Nikki - piano, voice
Nikki’s voice has taken her all over – in venues ranging from Carnegie Hall to the Rio Grande. Her journey started in Tennessee, though, where Nikki began piano lessons at a very young age. (Ever the eager toddler, a teacher agreed to take her on as soon as she could “count to five and tell black from white.”) In elementary school, Nikki joined a community choir, and upon graduating from that started an a capella group with some industrious friends. She added private voice lessons to her studies, and continued to study both that and piano through college. For her undergraduate degree, Nikki received an academic scholarship to Union University in Jackson, TN where she earned her BA in Philosophy with a minor in Music and Honors Studies, graduating Summa Cum Laude. She has experience teaching both piano and voice, and is currently working on her music education certification at Eastern University. Nikki has performed in numerous choirs and operas throughout her life, was the female lead in Mozart's Bastienne and Bastianna, and even plays harp. When Nikki isn’t making music, she enjoys hiking and camping (and could give you a few tips on how to build a yurt.) She teaches piano and voice for the school.
Kaitlin - piano, voice, ukulele
Kaitlin is a dedicated musician, as demonstrated by her Bachelor’s degree in Music Education and Voice Performance from Westminster Choir College and her Master’s of Music degree from the Cleveland Institute of Music. Her interest in playing and singing began in her youth, but the decision to pursue it as a career came while performing with the Texas All State Choir in High School. This led her to Westminster Choir College in Princeton, New Jersey, where she studied both voice and piano formally, and received a presidential scholarship. At the Cleveland Institute, she continued her studies, earning the Max Berman prize – the school’s largest award for a vocalist, as well as trying her hand at stage-managing. Kaitlin is no stranger to teaching music; for the completion of her Music Education degree, she taught at New Hope High School and Middle School, teaching students grades 6-12. During this time she worked with a large number of choirs, as well as the middle school cast of Grease, and gave both class and private music instruction to students grades 6-12. Her other teaching experiences include teaching music as a volunteer at the Cleveland School of the Arts, the Albert C. Wagner Youth Correctional Facility, and at several elementary and middle schools. As a performer, she’s landed some impressive roles, including Alice Ford in Verdi's Falstaff, Béatrice in Berlioz's Béatrice et Bénédict, Antonia in Les Contes du Hoffmann, and the title role in Handel's Alcina. Kaitlin works in the MW office as our faculty coordinator and teaches piano and voice for the school.
Michael - guitar, piano, bass
Michael Campanile has spent the past eleven years teaching, performing, and recording music on both the east and west coasts. A graduate of the Boyer College of Music and Dance at Temple University, he teaches private and group lessons, guitar clinics and online lessons. Michael has helped many students discover music, with lessons ranging from beginners starting guitar to advanced players looking for a more specialized focus, as well as piano and bass students. Recently completing his 10th studio album, "More Songs No One Wanted", Michael is involved in several projects: a local metal band, a rockabilly Sun Records cover act, and various electronic music recordings. He is comfortable teaching all genres, including rock, metal, jazz, folk, improvisation, and composition, as well as electronic music, recording and production. He has recorded/produced with West Coast performer Peter DiStefano (Jane's Addiction), and the notable east coast act Infernal Opera. Some of his favorite musicians include Claude Debussy, Pat Martino, Marty Friedman, and Brian Setzer. When Michael isn't teaching or performing, he enjoys hand tool woodworking, Z grade horror, and anything Dostoyevsky. Mike is a lead teachers of piano, guitar, and bass for the school.
David – voice, piano, guitar
A born performer, David has graced the stage of many well-known Tri-State area theaters, including the Walnut Street Theater and the Arden Theater in Philadelphia and Candlelight Theater in Delaware. His stage credits have even taken him abroad to places like Edinburgh, Scotland and Beijing, China. David studied music throughout his youth – beginning with the saxophone and voice, and soon adding on the piano and the guitar. His love of music and the performing arts led him to Syracuse University, where he earned his BFA in Drama. (He also has extensive training in the Linklater voice method.) David has several years of music direction under his belt in various local school and music theater programs, and is currently serving as the music director for the Wolf Performing Arts Center. While his musical theater experience is extensive, David enjoys and teaches many genres, including jazz, rock, folk, classical and recording programs like Logic and MainStage. He is a lead teacher of piano, guitar and voice for the school.
Brendan - piano, guitar, voice
Brendan grew up loving and listening to his Dad’s records. What he heard inspired him, so he started guitar lessons, formed a band with some friends, and began writing his own songs. Brendan followed this musical path to college, earning his Bachelor’s degree in Music Recording Technology from Lebanon Valley College where he studied both guitar and voice. Though he has a passion for jazz, Brendan loves playing in all different styles – rock, R&B, blues, progressive, and folk. His band, Johnny Action Figure, has performed at top venues in Philadelphia, Nashville and New York, alongside great bands like Wilco, the Get Up Kids, and Apollo Sunshine. Their music has been featured in television shows and commercials on MTV, VH1, and Comedy Central. Brendan currently sings with the Mendelssohn Club of Philadelphia, and they have performed in many notable places including the Mann Center. He is a lead teacher of guitar, piano and voice for the school.